My first company name was Home Naturals by Maria when I started making body products from home while I went to school for holistic healthcare. It helped pay my tuition. But once I finished, I needed something that was more fitting. My company name is now Naturally Balanced. While I was trying to come up with names it was hard to find something that fit everything I do. I have people tell me all the time how balanced I am and since I one to go natural as I can with everything I do, Naturally Balanced just seemed to fit.

I have always had some sort of business of my own starting at about ten years old. Grandpa McKinley was a pharmacist when it was a more natural approach. I learned a lot from him and my mom who also has always shown us a healthy lifestyle. About 23 years ago my mom became ill. Misdiagnosed several times she continued to get worse, her illness is very much like Lupus, but we still call it “it” as still we don’t know what it is. Anyway, Holistic and western approaches combined are the only thing to help. So I already had an interest into Holistic Healthcare, but when I broke my back and only holistic healers could give me relief, that was my sign it was my calling. I had worked in a assisted living home and managed the Alzheimer unit and stared to research on how aromatherapy could help the residents. I was hooked! A short while later I decided to get a degree in holistic healthcare and during one of the classes we learned about manufacturing natural body products for healing and this became my stress therapy. Finally in the end I am now a nutritional consultant and life coach who loves to make body products as well.

I absolutely LOVE being able to help people with every contact I make and product I sell. Every time I help another person my heart swells with joy and love. My children can see this makes me happy and that makes them happy too! So much so the have started there own line for kids. I am excited everyday that we can share the joy. So far, 6 years later, it still doesn’t get old and I get excited over each thing I have to do for my business. It is hard to say what my favorite part is, because I love it all. But if I have to pick, it would be the world of smiles I receive from what I do and that I am able to do what I love.

The most difficult part is finding time for all I wasn’t to do and having people understand my business is not just about the smell goods, but how the products have health benefits too. I don’t make items based on smell, but how they can help someone. That’s my
nitch. I sit down with a client and find out as much as I can about them and develop a product I feel will help them. People just don’t seam to understand this.

I ran across Natures Garden on accident one day during the show and tell time on Thursday. I could feel the community of others trying to work together and not against each other and that is a hard thing to find were I live. The people on the page are kind and helpful.

I have several goals for the next year (I am a goals kind of person) however I would say my biggest goal would be to branch out of
my comfort zone and out of my community. I want to take my business to 5 more towns by 2013. Along with having consistent orders and clients from them.